Slip elevator



July 21, 1936. F. J. YOUNG ET AL 2 8, 9

SLIP ELEVATOR Original Filed March 8, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l y 1936. F. J. YOUNG ET AL 2,048,209

SLIP ELEVATOR a I I. i' I MW vim MMW M y 1936- F. J. YOUNG ET AL 2,048,209

SLIP ELEVATOR Original Filed March 8, i955 s Sheets-Sheet 5 ."j -Patenterl 2 mm srA'i-i:

sm nmva'ron Forrest .Ioleph Young, Loo Angeles,

call! assig'nor, by none assignments, to The National. Superior Company, Toledo. Ohio. a corporation of Delaware application March a, 1933, Serial" No. 1 660,030. Divided and this application October 3,1933. Serial No. 691,956

, 19 Claims. 24-263) This invention relatesto elevators oi the side door type including slips for gripping pipe, casing "or' the like'as utilized in the drilling formation or operation of wells,'particularly oil wells. This invention is related to an-improvement over the structures as disclosed in 'the Letters Patent No. 1,920,617 granted August 1,1933, for Door type slip elevator, and in the co-pending application of Forrest Joseph Young, et ai., Serial No. 610,044, filed May 9, 1932, for Door type slip elevator.

' This application is a division ofthe co-pending 3 application of Forrest Joseph Young, et al., for Door type slip elevator, Serial No. 660,030, filed March 8, 1933. v An object of this invention is to provide a well elevator'of the door type in which there is provided an improved form of latching ,ineans for the door or gate and in which latching means there is provided a means enabling the easy'and ready release of the gate in the event the slips of the elevator do not become released when it is desired to remove the elevators from the pipe or casing.

Another object of this invention is to provide ,a latch releasing means having a novel construction which permits carrying extremely high pressures without requiring the structural components of unduev proportions.

Another object of this invention is to provide 30 a latch releasing means for the gate of a door type slip elevator which includes a means permittingthe adjustment of the latch for the door or gate of the elevator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a $5 door type slip elevator'which includes slips adapted to be actuated by yieldably mounted abutment or setting means which permit the casing collar of the drill stem supported by the elevator to set the slip into engagement with the casing and 40 yet prevent the total casing load being carried Other objects and advantages of this invention 1 it is believedwill be apparent from the following 50 detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings;

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a door type slip 55 elevator embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof. a. Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the elevator taken substantially on the line 3-4 of Figure 2, illustrating the elevator with the lifting links or bails removed. v 5 Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line Hot Figure 1. Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is 'a vertical sectional view oi a modi- 10 fled form of well elevator embodying.,my invention. I

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

illustrating a further modification embodying my invention. 7

In the preferred embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, l

indicates the body of a well elevator having elevator link or bail-receiving ears 2 for the reception oi, any desired form 01! elevator links or bails 3. Pivotally secured to one'side oi the elevator body i on a hinge pin 4 is a gate 5.. The gate 5 is supported at its respective ends so that the portion of the load-received from the drill stem or casing supported by the elevator is transmitted'to the body I.

In order to accomplish this. the free end or the elevator gate 5 is undercut to provide a .supporting shoulder it which is adapted to rest or seat upon a seat or shoulder 8 formed on the supporting plug 9 of the body I. At its pivoted end the gate 5 is supported upon a shoulder 9 formed at the lower portion ot-the hinge recess l0 into 40 which the hinge cylinder of the gate 5 is fitted.

Means are provided for latchingthe gate 6 in closed position, which means preferably includes a yoke type latch 6 which is pivotally securedto the body by a yoke hinge pin I. The yoke type latch 6 is illustrated as being of substantially the' same construction as is illustrated in the two copending applications of Forrest Joseph Young, et al., above referred to-and passes over the free end of the gate '5 and includes a latch pin 42-50 which extends horizontally through the handle die ll and provides the means for actuating the latch pin horizontally.

As the elevator embodying my invention incorporates tapered slips within its bore for engaging and supporting the 'drill stem or pipe,. it becomes desirable at many times to have means for releasing the latch 6 when the slips fail torelease from the drill stem casing or pipe when the load is relieved of! from the slips II, and in order to accomplish this result and to permit a slight release of the latch yoke 3 so that the slips may move outwardy away from the drill stem to a point where they will release under the influence of their supporting structure, I prefer to providea releasing lever I! which is interposed between the free end of the gate I and the latch 6 to provide the latching surface 22 in'which the latch pin recess 23 is formed. The releasing arm I9 is pivotally supported'at the free end of the gate upon a bearing pin 20 which has its axis located approximately in a vertical plane coincident with the plane of the inner side face 2| of latch yoke 6. The releasing lever I9 is positioned betweerrspaced ears 24 formed on the gate and within which is retained the bearing pin 20. The pin passes through an ear or lug 25 formed on the lever IS, the lug fitting within a recess 26 provided in the gate to retain the lever on the gate at the latch end. The latch pin 20 has a bearing contact with the gate for substantially halfof its circumference between the ears 24 and the recess 26 and a bearing contact along the face of the lever IQ for substantially the other half of its pin circumference.

This construction providesa substantial bearing area between the gate pin and lever to connect the reaction developed in the load transmitted to the gate by the wedging action of the slips between the pipe and the elevator. The lever I9 is curved to approximately the exterior contour or configuration ofthe body I and terminates at its free end with a bolt hole 21 through which a bolt or stud 28 is passed. The stud 28 formed on the outer face of the gate 5. The

clearance or relative positions of the bosses 32 and 33 will determine the position of the face 22 of the releasing lever IS with relation to the latch face 2| of the yoke 6 when the nut 3|! is threaded to clamp the releasing lever I! in position. It is therefore possible, when wear occurs between the faces 2| and 22, to re-establish a correct latching relation between these surfaces by filling the contacting faces of the bosses 32 and 33, thereby permitting the face 22 to move more perfectly into contact or latching relation with the face 2| on the screwing up of the nut 30. By this means an easy adjustment is provided for the latch means for the gate 5 of the elevator.

The slips i, as herein illustrated, are of substantially the same construction as illustrated in the co-pending applications of Forrest Joseph Young, et al., above referred to in that it is preferred that the body and gate 5 be formed to provide a stepped tapered axial bore within which the correspondingly tapered and stepped seg- -'pipe in order to insure the setting of the slips as mental slips are positioned in the manner as specifically set forth in the co-pending applications above referred to. As shown in said co-pending applications above set forth, the slips are mounted within the elevator body andgate 5 on guide 5 pins II which cooperate with compression springs I are fitted within arcuate recesses is formed in the upper ends 'of the bodies on the slips In order to provide a yieldable connection between the bumper segments and the bodies of the slipsblocks of rubber it, or other resilient material or any other preferred form of yieldable element, is inserted within the recesses I! on the under side of the bumper segments ll tonormally urge the bumper segments l4 upwardly away from the upper end of the slips The bumper segments H are slipped into the slips II from the sides thereof and thin plates ll are welded to the sides of the slips ll over the recesses'li to hold the bumper segments in place after they have been mounted in position.

In order to'pre'vent one slip H from advancing ahead of the other slips due to the non-concentricity of the drill stem or pipe with relation to the bore of the elevator or other reason, the slips II 'are preferably linked together by means of interlocking lugs it (Figure 8) which fit within complementary recesses i8 formed on the lateral faces of the adjacent slips In the modification of my invention as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the slips II are illustrated as formed with yieldable bumper elements or bumper plungers i4 positioned so as to extend laterally from the face of the slips I" to seat the slips Il into engagement with the periphery of the drill stem pipe or casing independently of the collar of the drill stem pipe or casing, thus enabling the structure to be utilized in connection with flush type drill stems or pipe having no projections or collars upon its exterior periphery.

' The bumper plunger I4- is mounted within recesses ii formed within the upper end of the slips II and are normally urged outwardly into pipe engaging position by means of springs or yieldable members II.

In order to limit the outward extent of the plungers l4 stop members consisting of cap screws 6' are threaded through the upper ends of the slips in to fit within slots mformed within the plungers H. The outer peripheries of the plunger members I4 are provided with serrated surfaces so as to increase the frictional contact between them and the periphery of the the pipe is lowered or the elevator is raised after the gate 5 of the elevator has been closed.

As illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, in order to prevent rotation of the drill stem or pipe within the elevator or to prevent rotation of the elevator with relation to the drill pipe after the gate of the elevator has been closed, it may be preferable to form one of the plungers li with its serrated interior periphery formed with vertical rather than horizontally extending serrations, or, as illustrated in Figure l0,' the serrations on the inner peripheries of the plungers 14 are formed in oppositely inclined positions which likewise function to prevent rotation of the elevator with relation to the pipe upon aocaeoo relative vertical movement of the pipe and elevator.

In order to perfect the free swinging of the latch.yoke 6, I prefer to provide anti-friction bearing means comprising aplurality of balls 45 positioned in race grooves formed around the pins 1 and formed between the upper arm of the yokei and the body I; In order to assemble the balls 45, I provide a washer plate 46 on the pin I between the body I and the lowerarm of the'yoke 6. When the plate 46 is removed, the yoke is lifted vertically an amount equal to the thickness of the space occupied by the washer plate and the balls inserted into the race grooves-the yoke is then lowered into engagemeat-with the balls and the plate 46 assembled preliminary to placing the pin 1 in position. The pin its preferably welded into position with'the yoke 6.

Having fully described my invention and the preferred formrthat the same may take, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to thedetails of construction as herein specifically set forth as my invention is susceptible of wide modification without departing from the spirit of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

- I claim:

- I 1. In combination with a tube gripping device having a tapered bore, tapered sectional slips mounted within the bore, means for yieldably supporting the slips, yieldably mounted plunger members mounted within recesses in and amending from the vertical face, of the slips to engage a pipe within the bore formed by the tapered sectional slips for seating the slips in pipe engaging position within the said bore, and stop means to limit the movement of the plunger members in their extended positions.

2. In combination with a tube gripping device having a tapered bore, tapered sectional slips mounted within the' bore, means for yieldably supporting the slips, yieldably mounted plunger members mounted within recesses in and extending from the vertical face of the slips to engage a pipe within the bore formed by the tapered sectional slips for seating the slips in pipe engagingposition within the said bore, stop means to limit the movement of the plunger members in their extended position, and one of said plungersbeing formed with an engaging surface so as to prevent relative rotation of the I tube gripping device and the pipe.

3. In combination with a tube gripping device having a tapered bore, tapered sectional slips mounted within the bore, means for yieldably supporting the slips, yieldably mounted plunger members-mounted within recesses in and extending fromthe vertical face of the slips at the upper ends thereof to engage a pipe within the bore formed by the tapered sectional slips for seating the slips in pipe engaging position plan'e bearing surfacesupported at the opposite side of the body and adapted to engage the free end of the "gate to hold thegate in closed position. means providing a plane latching surface between the latch member and the gate, adjustable means operative between the latching surface means and the gate=for varying the eflective position of the latching surfaces between the gate and the latch member, and a third means for locking the latch-member in latching position. 3 4

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body, a gate pivotally supported at one side of the body, a latch yoke pivotally supported at the other side of the body and adapted 1 to pass over the free end of the gate, means positioned between the latch yoke and the gate to establish a latch surface for the latch yoke, means for actuating the first named means at times to vary the latching relation between the 1 latching yoke and the gate, latch locking means carriedv by the latch yoke for maintaining the latch yoke in latched position relative to the gate.

6. In a gate type elevator, the combination of 2 a body, a gate member pivotally supported at one side of the body, a latch member pivotally supported by the body and adapted to pass over the free end of the gate member when in its closed position,- means interposed between the 2 latch member and the gate member to vary the relation between the gate member and the latch member, said means including a pivotally mounted element carried by one of the aforesaid members, and pivot bearing means between the said 3 element and its supporting member, said hear: ing means including a pivot pin positioned between opposing bearing grooves formed on the element and the element supporting member respectively. 3

7. Ina gate type elevator, the combination of a body, a gate member pivotally supported at one side of the body, a latch member pivotally supported by the body and adapted to pass over the free end of the gate member when in its closed position, means interposed between the latch member and the gate member to vary the relation between the gate member and the latch member, said means including a pivotally mounted element carried by one of the aforesaid members, and a pivot pin engaging the said element and element supporting member to retain the former on the latter, said element and element supportauxiliary latch-adjusting means to adjust the latching relation between the latch and the gate,

and a single member interposed between the auxiliary latch-adjusting means and ,the gate providing a bearing means between said auxiliary member and the gate, and providing also a means for retaining the auxiliary m'emberin poprovide a tapered opening, slips mounted in the tapered opening to support a pipe therein, means normally acting to move said slips to, a retrieved position, a latch pivotally supported at one side of the body and adapted to engage the free end of the gate, means to hold said latch in its latched combination of a plurality of pivotedly connectedposition, means positioned between the latch and. the gate providing for an adjustable latching relation between the latch member and the gate,

tion of a body, a gate pivotally supported at one side of the body, the gate and body being formed to provide a tapered opening, slips mounted in the tapered opening to support a pipe therein, means normally acting to move-said slips to a retrieved position, a latch pivotally supported at one side of the body and adapted to engage the free end of the gate, means positioned between the latch and the gate providing for an adjustable latching relation between the latch member and the gate, and means for adjusting the latter said means to permit limited outward movement of, the free end of the gate relative to the body upon failure of the first named means to retrieve the slips when the pipe load is removed from said elevator so as to facilitate the disengagement of the slips from the pipe supported within the opening, and means for locking the latch in position relative to the free end of the gate.

11 In a device for supporting a well pipe, the combination of a plurality of pivotedly connected pipe encircling members relatively movable to surround a well pipe, a latch supported on one of said members and having a latching surface bers are in their closed position and without.

affecting the fixed operative relation of said latching surfaces, and means for adjusting at times one of the latching surfaces relative to the other to permit relative pivotal movement between said members.

12. In a device for supporting a well pipe, the

combination of a plurality of pivotedly connected pipe encircling members relatively movable to surround a well pipe, a latch supported on one of said members and having a' latching surface adapted to normally pass over and engage a complementary fixed latching surface on the free end of the adjacentmember for holding said members in their closed position around the pipe, said engaging latching surfaces being relatively fixed normally and formed to permit said latch to normally move freely from latched position to unlatched position and vice versa when the members are in their closed position and without affecting the fixed operative relation of said latching surfaces, means for releasably retaining said latch in latched position, and means for adjusting at times oneof said'latching surfaces relative to the other to permit relative pivotal movement between said members. v

13. In a.device for supporting a well pipe, the

pipe encircling members relatively movable to surround a well pipe, a latch pivotedly supported on one of said members and having a latching surface normally adapted to swing over and enwithout affecting the fixed operative relation of the slips from the pipe.

gage a complementary fixed latching surface on the free end of the adjacent member for holding said members in their closed position around I the pipe, latch retaining means to hold said latch in the engaged position, said latch surfaces being 5 relatively fixed normally and formed to permit said latch beingfree to swing to a disengaged position upon release of the latch retaining means said latching surfaces and with the members in their closed position, and means for adjusting at times the position of the latching surface on the free end of said member relative to the latching surface of said latch.

,14. In a device for supporting a well pipe, the combination of a plurality of pivotedly connected pipe encircling members relatively movable to surround a well pipe, an element pivotedly mounted on one of said members and having a latch engaging face formed thereon near the free end of said 20 member, means to adjustably secure said element fixed on said member, a latch pivotedly supported on the free end of the adjacent member having a latching surface adapted to normally pass over and engage the said latchengaging face for hold- 25 ing said members in their closed position around the pipe and without affecting the fixed operative relation of said latching surfaces, said latching and latch engaging surfaces being relatively fixed normally and formed to permit said latch to normally move freely from latched position to unlatched position with said element in its fixed position and with the members in their closed position, and means to selectively adjust said element securing means to vary the relation of the latch engaging face on said element with the element supporting member to permit relative pivotal movement between said members.

15. In a device 'for supporting a well pipe, the combination. of a plurality of pivotedly connected pipe encircling members relatively movable to surround a well pipe, said members being formed to provide a tapered seat, slips carried by said members and supported on said seat in pipe engaging position, means acting to move said slips to a retrieved position, a latch supported on one of said members and having a latching surface to engage a complementary fixed latching surface on the free end of the adjacent member for holding said members in their closed position around the pipe, said engaging latching surfaces being relatively fixed normally and formed to permit said latch to normally move freely from latched to unlatched-position when the slips are retrieved without affecting the fixed operative 55 relation of said latching surfaces and the members are in their normally closed position, and means for adjusting one of said latching surfaces relative to the other upon failure of the first named means to retrieve the slips when the pipe 60 load is removed from said device so as to enlarge the seat opening and facilitate the retrieval of 16. In a device for supporting a well pipe, the combination of a plurality of pivotedly connected 5 pipe encircling members relatively movable to surround a well pipe, said members being formed to provide a tapered seat, slipscarried by said members and supported on said seat in pipe engaging position, means acting to move said slips 7 to a retrieved position, a latch supported on one of said membersand having a latching surface to engage a complementary fixed latching surface on the free end of the adjacent member for' holding said members in their closed-position 75 around the pipe, said engaging latching surfaces being relatively fixed normally and formed to permit said latch to normally move freely from latched to unlatched position when the slips are retrieved without affecting the fixed operative relation of said latching surfaces and the membars are in their normally closed position, and means operable prior to the disengagement of the latch to permit relative opening movement of the pipe encircling members upon failure of the slips retrieving when the pipe load is relieved from said device.

17. In a device for supporting a well pipe, the combination of a plurality of pivotedly connected pipe encircling members relatively movable to surround a well pipe, gripping means carried by said members for supporting the well pipe, said means being normallyretrievable from gripping engagement with the pipe upon the pipe load being relieved from said device, a latch supported on one of said members and having a latching surface to engage a complementary fixed latching surface on the free end of the adjacent mem-' ber for holding said members in their closed position around the pipe, said engaging latching surfaces being relatively fixed normally and formed to permit said latch to normally move freely from latched position to unlatched position when the gripping means are moved to non-gripping position without aifcting the fixed operative relation of said latching surfaces and the members are in their normally closed position, and means for adjusting one of said latching surfaces relative to the other upon failure of the gripping means releasing when the pipe load is relieved from said device so as to facilitate the releasing of said gripping means.

to surround a well pipe, gripping means carried by said members for supporting the well pipe, said means being normally retrievable from gripping engagement with the pipe upon the pipe load being relieved from said device, a latch supported on one of said members and having a latching surface to engage a complementary fixed latching surface on the free end of the adjacent member for holding said members in their closed position around the pipe, said engaging latching surfaces being relatively fixed normally and formed to permit 'said latch to normally move freely from latched to unlatched position when the gripping means are moved to non-gripping position without affecting the fixed operative relation of said latching surfaces and the members are in their closed position, and means operable prior to the disengagement of the latch to permit limited relative-opening movement of the pipe encircling members upon failure of the gripping means being released from its gripping action on the pipewhen the pipe load is relieved from said device.

19. In combination with a tube gripping device having a tapered opening, tapered sectional slips mounted within the opening, means for yieldably supporting the slips, undercut arcuate recesses formed in the upper portion of said slips, said recesses extending around the slips and opening on the lateral faces of the slips,

segmental elements having a complementaryinverted T-shaped cross-section positioned and retained in said undercut arcuate recesses and adapted to be engaged by a projection on the pipe, and resilient means engaging the under side of said elements, and means to close the said openings upon the segmental elements being assembled.

FORREST JOSEPH YOUNG.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,048,209. July 21, 1956.

FORREST JOSEPH YOUNG.

' .It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification 0! the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, second column, line 38, for the word "plug" read lug; page 2, first column, line 61, for "filling" read filing; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of October, A. D. 1936.

. Henry Van Arsdale Acting Commissioner of Patents.

(Seal) 

